She is the fairies' midwife, and she comes
In shape no bigger than an agate stone
i know i know... mercutio was talking about me

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Haiya!!

Listening to Harry Kimani’s "Haiya" brings back loads of memories come flooding in

I grew up in Kikuyu land; post mau mau and pre-underground garages and on to post nyayo.

They were a lovable lot- eccentric in their ways but focused.I remember my mum’s kyuk boss passing through home on Christmas eve to dropoff some of his farm produce in the Christmas spirit, and what was he driving a Pajero!!!

Now kids don’t get me wrong- but in the nineties this was like the cat's pajamas (always wanted to use that !!)

Kids (basketball team- not bad) scrambled out to stare and marvel at one of the latest Pajero models; mouths agape- and kid brothers absolutely animated…. And then

"Meeeee"

No it couldn’t be- we didn’t keep any goats….

"Meeee"

Yes- right there inside the well carpeted brand new carpet of this brand new paj's boot was a goat- we looked over to Mr Maina- who by the way didn’t look one bit like the amount of money he was worth- his jacket looked like it had been washed in water, hang out in the sun and ironed- it was all lumpy at the seams, with a curious sheen all through- he completed the look with gum boots and crowned it with uncombed kinky african hair!

"I just came from the shamba- and I brought some thing for Christmas"

Yes- literally from the garden, but since the goat- now seriously humping the back seat- wasnt ours it was one of two things it was meant for someone higher up the rung- or from a neighbour competing in generosity.

it is not a stereotype- kyuks tend to be hardworking folk who could make money out of anything- always jolly, loved their drink but always had a firm woman waiting in the wings to reel them back in lest they stray.

I didn’t realize it then- but I do miss the ‘buggers’, their mannerisms, profusely expressive ways that includes pointing the direction of someone of a place with their lower lips, and their willingness to laugh at themselves and others in good humor.